Need Help Fleshing Out Plot

[Miles J]

I have had an idea for a book I want to write. I am in the beginning stages of notes, etc. I need help with one idea that I am blocked with.

Basic plot:
A man is cursed by Satan after the man killed Satan's love/wife. The curse involves him having to kill/assasinate for the devil.

The problem I am having is making him a simpethetic character. One way I figure I could do this was by making him change his ways, by helping people, something along thoughs lines. The only problem would be why he would decide to change, and also the problem of the guy still having to kill the innocent for the devil at the same time.

I am wrestling with the possibility of making him immortal(not unkillable) as a part of the curse, so he has to suffer longer(in the end, if he died he would go to hell). If he is an older character it would be harder to explain why he is going to the good side after all that time.

I have other problems I am stuck on but this is the most important now.

Details are thin at this point. I have not set in stone why he kills her. I am thinking it is possibly in retaliation for her killing someone he knew.

I have not figured out what happens if he doesn't kill for Satan, at this point i can't find a good enough reason. Since he is already damned there is really nothing that could be done to him.

So far I want to make the immortality apart of the curse. A way for Satan to make him suffer for a long time, Satan would know that in the event of the mans death, the guy would enter hell. A twist I wanted to add to Satan is that in the physical world he is basically powerless, not able to directly impact people, this is why he needs an assasin to do his work. Before the man, the wife did it.

I don't want to make it a book based on religous belief. I don't think I want to mention God at all in the book, I would rather use messengers, etc. Possibly have these messengers offer him something to help people, possibly a kind of redemption.

Sorry if this seems jumbled, but I guess at the moment the idea kind of is. If clarification is needed on any point don't hesitate to ask

[adamant]

Who said the protagonist had to be evil? or even tried to kill Satan's love interest? Maybe he accidentally kills her in a car crash when he's not paying attention and then is thrown into the underworld where he receives the curse. He doesn't want to kill, but if he doesn't, his own family/love will be taken from him -- forcing him to stay away from them for a while until he can become efficient enough to not get caught. All the while, he's trying to figure out a way to kill the devil himself.

Or something like that, I made that off the top of my head.

[Brazen]

Don't make the main character evil for no reason. Sorry, if I'm sounding demanding but it annoys me in fiction when there's Ub3r Evul!1 characters without a backstory to support their evil. Like the above poster said, he could kill the Devil's wife by accident.

Perhaps the man loses his soul as he spends time working for Satan. You know, he sees the darker side of the human race while doing errands and the stuff he has to do to people, it does have to take a toll on him eventually.

He can perhaps redeem himself when he encounters a few angels, or when he looks back again at the lighter side of the world, with innocent children or something. It's most probably going to be very difficult writing the process of making him turn back good. It'll have to be slow and subtle if you want to write his change realistically.

Don't know if my post helped, or if I'm making any sense, but that's my two cents anyway.

[Robert]

You've already identified various problems with your own plot here. Maybe you should address those first.


I have not figured out what happens if he doesn't kill for Satan.... Since he is already damned there is really nothing that could be done to him.
Major problem.


A twist I wanted to add to Satan is that in the physical world he is basically powerless, not able to directly impact people,
Major problem.

So don't make Satan powerless. And give the guy some motivation for doing what Satan wants.

Cheers,
Rob

[Miles J]

I just wanted to thank everyone who replied with help, the suggestions made a big difference in where the novel is going now.

As far as why the M.C killed the devils wife, I decided to make it an accident, as was suggested. Although not completly worked out I figure I'll have him as a police officer, who caught her in the act of killing someone else and he has to shoot her when she comes after him. This way it is still a deliberate act, but not an evil act.

Again thanks for the suggestions, they were a major help :)

[The Boy Who Wrote]

I don't mean to be rude but the synopis sounds a bit hashed, have you outlined the plots and sub-plots and any other character interaction?
Will there be a more meaningful and deeper understanding within the context?
always ask questions when first starting out.

[Miles J]

I am still working out few of the details. I have much of the major plot worked out, I just didn't post it. I have not actually started writing. I like to get everything together before beginning.

[WhispWillow]

Just an idea, you could perhaps work with demons as well/instead